Why, When and Where to Give Part 3
November 4, 2021
Third, concerning where we should give, that’s the easiest one of all. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:7-11, Galatians 6:6, 1 Timothy 5:17-18, and many other scriptures, that you are to give where you are fed. You don’t eat at McDonald’s but go over to Wendy’s to pay. You pay where you eat. Likewise, you are to give where you are fed.
Malachi 3:10 reads,
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
I’ve heard many ministers use that verse to teach that your tithes belong to your local church, and offerings above your tithes go to other ministries and benevolence work. I agree with that if your church is truly a storehouse. A storehouse is where you keep your food or go to get food
The local church is the backbone of God’s work here on earth. There are ways that a local church can feed you that no other ministry can. You can’t call me in the middle of the night or have me perform your child’s wedding or help counsel them. You need the fellowship of other believers. I can’t offer you that, but the local church can.
But, how many of us realize we don’t live in a perfect world where every church is meeting the needs of the people who attend? There are people who go to church every week and never get fed. In fact, I have many people tell me they are starving or being poisoned in their local churches, and they are living off my teaching.
It’s wrong to get fed in one place and give your tithes and offerings to another place. If you aren’t in a local church that truly feeds you, then get out of there and find a good one. Then give your tithes to that church and your offerings to other ministries. But if you can’t find a good church or, for other reasons, are staying put in a dead church, don’t give your money there. You are subsidizing them.
I can guarantee you that those who use gimmicks and condemnation to manipulate are not truly feeding God’s people. Mainstream religion is not feeding people. If the body of Christ was to purify their motives in giving, give only when they can do it cheerfully and not out of guilt, and give where they are truly fed, then those who aren’t feeding God’s flock would have to repent or go out of business. Also, true ministers and churches that are actually feeding the body of Christ would have more money than they needed.
For instance, our Gospel Truth television broadcasts are available to three billion people on the planet. If only 1 percent of them actually watched our programs, that would be thirty million people. If only 10 percent of them actually received, that would be three million people per day who are blessed. A one-dollar-per-month gift would nearly double our income. It’s that simple.
Every ministry that is truly reaching people would have similar results. The only exception I can think of is the ministries that minister to those who can’t give, such as missionaries or those helping the poor. Those are what I call benevolence ministries, and they need gifts from those who aren’t fed directly by them.
I used my chapel hour in Charis Bible College this week to teach on this very subject, “Why, When, and Where to Give.” It really blessed the students. I think this teaching would bless you and help you be more discerning in this area. Also, I’m sure you know some people who have bad attitudes about giving because of the abuses they’ve seen. I think this would be a great way to get them past these hurts and help them to begin receiving God’s best in this area of finances.
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